A movie review of THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS.

Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival 2015. (For more information, click here.)

“It’s kind of my job to be sorry for him,” Chris (Kenny Wormald)

Where has the revisionist horror gone? THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS is a by-the-numbers blandly sadistic slasher. And not in a fun way. Director Nick Simon follows REMOVAL, a psychological horror that does not leave second gear, and offers more bargain basement attempts at thrills.

The horror genre is currently awash with mediocrity; the same rote repetition of ideas is not delivering. Time and energy are being wasted. The fans drawn to edgy entertainment would have already seen infinitesimal examples of the same execution. Unless, your standards rest in the doldrums, ennui is setting in for those who demand a fresh take on exhilaration. The likes of IT FOLLOWS or I SAW THE DEVIL or BIG BAD WOLVES are too rare.

Rapid City, USA, patrons emerge from the cinema, a horror flick, ‘Blood Relations’. (Any kind of meta leanings end there. What was the point then of picking such a film if not to make some sort of cheeky commentary?) A woman, Janet (Katharine Isabelle) walks alone to a kinda sinister carpark. Atmosphere typifying the runtime: Sort of creepy. As Janet departs, a red Bronco truck with large bulls horns on the grill growls to life and pursues the lady. At home, an intruder waits, naked from the waist up.

Captured and killed by two masked men, the truck driver and intruder leave Janet’s photo at a supermarket, in the town of Spearfish, South Dakota, population 10,000, to be found by employee, Colleen (Claudia Lee). This is number seven. At the murders’ lair/house, there are plenty on the wall. Each time, Colleen reports these discoveries, aimed at her, to local Sheriff Porter (Mitch Pileggi). Repeatedly she has been dismissed, as there are no identities, bodies or proof of crimes. All it might be is a prank staging, by at worst an obsessed stalker. Indifferent cinema police force reflects indifferent filmmaking. An annoyingly obvious red herring is Colleen’s pushy ex, Ben (Toby Hemingway). Small town malaise is not fleshed out, providing interesting context, just briefly spoken about. THE LAST PICTURE SHOW this ain’t.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles a douchey in demand photographer, Peter Hemmings (Kal Penn), spouts clunky dialogue, to clumsily illustrate quite obnoxious, egocentric behaviour, “Release. That’s what we give each other.” Looking for inspiration, Peter, assistant Chris, and pals head to Spearfish. The group become the targets for the killers. No major surprises alleviate the tedium.

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